Operation Double Up was a big success, according to the St. Paul Police Department press release, which came out Friday, July 22, accompanied by some cool photos aimed at making the front page. (But seriously – how downscale are drug pushers these days? I mean, driving a Toyota (above)? Or is that the buyer?)
According to the press release, the operation ended July 5, after 40 days, and resulted in identifying 84 suspects, charging them with 122 felonies, and arresting 50. According to the press release:
Of the 84 people, 19 were involved in two or more cases.
There was a noted decrease in the amount of cases involving marijuana and a noted increase in the amount of cases involving heroin and crack cocaine.
Of the 122 cases:
• 3 prescription drugs or ecstasy
• 4 involved methamphetamine
• 12 involved heroin
• 35 involved marijuana
• 68 involved crack cocaine
Court mandated Stay Away Orders will be sought for each of the 84 people, which would prohibit them from being in or near the location in which they sold drugs.
The anti-drug operations seem to be annual events. In 2010, Operation Street Spot resulted in 123 criminal charges against 86 suspects, with 50 arrested. In 2009, Operation Red Zone yielded 135 criminal cases against 100 suspects. (That’s a popular name – among many others, this year, California ran an anti-gang sweep called Operation Red Zone, and in 2009, the Department of Homeland Security ran an Operation Red Zone to “detect, deter and disrupt” transnational maritime smuggling threats.) Earlier St. Paul anti-drug sweeps included Operation Gridlock in 2008 and Operation Shamrock in 2007.
Coverage of issues and events that affect Central Corridor neighborhoods and communities is funded in part by a grant from Central Corridor Collaborative.
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